Flying-machine.



F. L. SCHAUFLER.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.15,191o.

1,064,01 5. Patented June 10,1913.

2 SHBBTSwSHEET l.

Q* Q-, TM W Y if By @kw ATTORNEYS P. L. SCHAUFLER.

FLYING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED Nov.15, 1910.

1,064,015. r Patented June 10,1913.

ATTORNEYS 'UTE TEILFET FFICE.

FRED LOUIS SCHAUFLER, OF MATTOON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO NATIONAL AERIAL NAVIGATION &; EQUIPMENT CO., 0F CULLMAN, ALABAMA, A CORPORATION.

FLYING-MACHIN E.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 10, 1918.

Application led November 15, 1910. Serial No. 592,425.

To all 107mm if may concern Be it known that I, FRED L. SCrniUrLnic, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Mattoon, in the county of' Coles and State ot' Illinois, have invented a new and Improved l4`lying-\'Iachine, of which the fob lowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to a new and improved flying machine of the heavier-thanair or aeroplane type.

An object of this invention is to provide a flying machine which will be simple in construction, inexpensive to manufact-ure, strong, durable, light in weight, easily controlled and properly balanced.

A further objecty of this invention is to provide a flyingr machine supported by wheels which are resiliently and adj ustably connected to the frame thereof, so as to lessen the shock, in riding over the ground and descending from the air onto the ground.

A further object of this invention is to provide a flying machine with a plurality of planes so disposed with relation to each other as to form an inclosed cabin, in which the operating machinery may be located, and wherein the aviator may be protected from the sharp air through which the machine is rushing.

A further object of this invention is to provide a flying machine with a main supporting plane having a central opening, whereby it is formed somewhat U-shaped, with elevating planes within said opening, and with a rudder, also located to the rear of said main supporting plane, within said opening.

A still further object of this invenuon is to provide a plurality of equilibrium and steering planes, whereby the direction of the flying machine may be controlled, and its equilibrium maintained.

These and further objects, together with the construction and combination ot parts, will be more fully described hereinafter. and particularly set 'forth 4in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying d awings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of relerence indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which- Figure l is a vertical Section on the line 1 1 of Fig. 3; Fig. 2 is a top plan view;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a rear end view of they peculiar type of propeller used on my machine; Fig. 5 is a side view of the propeller shown in Fig. 1; and Fig. 6 is a top or end View of the propeller shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

Referring more particularly to the sepaate parts of the device, l indicates a main supporting plane, which may be either curved or flat, and which, as will be seen by reference to Fig. 2, is preferably provided with a considerable opening, so that the plane has a U-shaped form. This main supporting plane is supported on any suitable type of frame 3, which is shown as formed of a plurality of' vertical bars connected by longitudinal bars t and transverse beams As Will be seen by reference to Fig. l, these transverse beams have a triangular cross section, with the hypotenuse of the triangle disposed at the lower front and sloping from the front downwardly toward the rear, so as t0 form these trans- Verse beams 5 in a wedge forni, which will readily cut the wind, and at the same time add to the supporting surface of the flying machine as a whole. The main plane l may be braced to the frame in any suitable man ner, as by means of guy wires S) and 10.

For the purposeof maintaining the equilibrium of the flying machine, and also to enable the aviator to steer the machine to the right or to the left, there are provided on each side of the machine what may be termed equilibriuni planes l1. These planes are mounted so as to swing about horizontal pivots, and are supported at their outer sides by means of bars 18 and 18, which are braced to the frame in any suitable manner, as by means ot guy wires 1,9 and 20. Besides the main supporting plane l, there are provided additional planes 21, Q2 and Q3. The planes 2l and 23 may be dis posed parallel to each other', and the plane 22 may be disposed at an inclination to both of the planes 2l and 22, so as to form a surface which will aid in enabling the machine to rise from the ground, and which will also form a front for a cabin 24, formed by the planes 21, 22 and Q3. This cabin is not only adapted to an aeroplane, but also to any other type of flying machine. The plane 23 preferably provided with a transparet portion Q5, through which the operator may look and observe the course over which he isltraveling. This cabin may also be of a'ny other suitable form.

For the purpose of providing a positiveQ `connections 30. This lever 28 may be secured in any adjusted position, as by having a lsnap catch, which engages a sector rack 31.

The operating means for the equilibrium planes 31 may be also located within the cabin 24, and in this case is shown in the form of a pair of levers 41 pivotally mounted in any suitable manner on the frame. These levers are in the form ofl double bell crank levers, and have their two short arms extendin from opposite sides of the pivot points o the levers connected by suitable flexible connections 37 and 38, to the equilibrium planes 11, on oppositel sides of their pivot point. 'It will thus be seen that by swinging either of the levers 41, one of `the planes 11 will have itsfront end swung upor dow-n, according to the direction of motion of the lever 41. The up and down motion of the flying machine as a whole, and its longitudinal equilibrium may be contro/lled by a -rudder 60, which ispivotally mounted by means of a shaft 61 on the frame at the rear of the opening 2. This rudder'is of peculiar form, and consists of a plurality of parallel planes 62, 63 and 64, pivotally connected together by a plurality of parallel links 65,

When it is desired to vary the horizontal projection of t-he supporting surface of this rudder, a lever 66, which extends into the cabin 24, is manipulated so as to swingthe planes 62 and 64 by means of flexible connections 67, so that they will Aproject a greater orless extent beyond the intermediate plane 63; that is to say, if the lower end of the lever 66 is swung to the left in Fig. 1, the plane 62 will be swung to the ri ht, and the plane 64 will be swung to the le t with respect to the plane 63, so that the' horizontal projection of the supporting surface of this rudder will be extended longitudinally an extent corresponding to the extent to which the lever 66 is moved. lf it is desired to manipulate the rudder 60 so as to direct the flying machine as a whole up or down to aid or vary the action of the elevatingl plane 26, the rudder may be swun as a whole, about the pivot 61 without c anging the relative position of the vand thus affording propelling means, there are provided a plurality of propellers 29, one located at the front of the machine, and the other adjacent the rear. These propellers are mounted on a shaft 72, which is driven from a suitable motor 7-3 by any suitable means, such as a chain-and-sprocket connection 74. lVhile the propellers 29 may be of any suitable structure, it is preferable that they be formed in the manner shown in Figs. 4 to 6. It will be seen by reference to these figures that these propellers consist of a pair of diametricallyop posed blades 52, secured to a hub 54. Each of these blades is formed of an active por-` tion 55 and an inactive portion 56; that is to say, the portion 55 is somewhat curved and disposed at an angle to the shaft- 72, so that it will exert a kick or thrust on the air, and thus propel the machine through the air. The portion 56, however is disposed in a plane perpendicular to the shaft 72 and the hub 54, so that it will tend to rotate in the same plane, and will not increase the resistance of the propeller, but will add to the stabilit-y' of the machine.

The flying machine is supported ona plurality of wheels 73, which are rotatably .mounted on brackets 74. The latter are pivotally connected to the frame of the iiyingamachine, as at 75, so as to allowl for shocks in passing over rough ground or in alighting from the air to the ground. In order to absorb the shock more thoroughly, this bracket 74 is resiliently connected at its upper end to the frame, as by means of a spring 77. The tension on this spring 77 and the position of the wheel 73 relative to the frame may be adjusted by changing its position relative to a ratchet bar 78 on the frame yof the flying machine. A spring 76 absorbs the return shock.

For the purpose of further absorbin .the shock incident to landing from a flig t in the air, there are provided skids 79, which are pivotally connected to the frame, and are curved at their lower ends so as to form a smooth abutment for engagement with the ground. These skids -are normally held yieldingly in their lowermost osition by means of a connection 80,` .which has a spring 81 provided therein, and is connected at its opposite ends to the skid 'and the frame. l

A seat 82 may be provided for the operator, and is preferably adjustably mounted on a bar 83, whereby the operator may place it in a position most convenient to himself, and is provided with a locking device 84, whereby it may be secured in any adjusted position.

The operation of the device will be readily understood when taken in connection with the above description.

The flying machine is driven bv the propellers 29 until it has received sufficient momentum to warrant the aviator in rising from the ground. The machine can be caused to ascend, either by the elevating plane Q6 solely, or in conjunction with the rudder G0. The longitudinal equilibrium and direction of the flying machine can be controlled by the combined use of the elevating plane Q6 and the rudder 60, both by varying the projection of the horizontal supporting surface of the rudder and by varying the angle of the planes to a horizontal line.

The direction of the flying machine to the right and the left can be controlled by means of the levers lll, which operate the planes l1. The transverse equilibrium of the flying machine can also be controlled by these equilibrium planes. During the flight, the operatorv will be thoroughly protected from the cold wind by the cabin formed by the planes 2l, 22 and 23, which also add to the elevating and supporting surface 0f the flying machine.

In alighting from a flight, the shock incident to coming in contact with the ground will be absorbed, both by the wheels 73 and the skids 79. The resilience of the connection of the wheels 73 to the frame can be adjusted by adjusting the spring or rubber band 77.

While I have shown one embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited /to the specific details thereof, but desire to be protected in various changes, alterations and mgdifications which may come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a flying machine, the combination with a frame, of a supporting plane on said frame, having an o ening therein, an elevating plane pivotally mounted in vertical alinement with said opening, propelling means mounted on said frame, means for manipulating said elevating plane, a rudder movably mounted in said opening, and planes pivotally mounted on said frame on cach side of said supporting plane.

9. In a flying machine, the combination of a main supporting plane having an opening therein, a rudder operable in said opening, an elevational plane mounted above the main plane and in alinement with its said opening, and equilibrium planes mounted at the sides of the main plane and on a level therewith.

3. lhecombination of a main supporting plane having an opening therein, a rudder operable in said opening, an elevational plane mounted above the main plane and in alinement with its said opening, equilibrium planes mounted at the sides of the main plane and on a level therewith, a cabin supported by the machine below said main supporting plane, and connections for operating said rudder, said elevational plane and said equilibrium planes from the said cabin.

4. In a flying machine, the combination of a main horizontal supporting plane which is substantially U-shaped and which has a central uncovered portion open at its rear end, a rudder mounted within the rear end of said opening, an elevational plane mounted above the main plane at a substantially central point and alined above its said uncovered 4portion or opening, and propellers mounted in the said uncovered portion or opening of the said main plane below the elevational plane and forwardly of the rudder.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two 'subscribing witnesses.

FRED Louis SGHAUFLER.

Witnesses:

VERN F. Ronna'rs, JACOB STUMP, Jr. 

